


Doctor

by ClassyWillow



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: Death, Emotional, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 07:30:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12185655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassyWillow/pseuds/ClassyWillow
Summary: Hospital AU - Mike Lawson is a surgeon at the local hospital and Ginny Baker is his PA.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's a little heavy for a Monday morning, but I was feeling particularly sad when I wrote this! Sorry!

 

  


“Hello?” Ginny answered the phone a groggily taking a quick glance down at the time, 3am.

 

“Ginny, It’s Ev.”

 

Ginny bolted up straight, “What’s going on?”

 

Evelyn Sanders had been Mike’s theatre nurse for the better part of a decade. She was the only nurse he trusted to be beside him. If he was booked for surgeries, she was on shift, if he was on call, so was she. It’d always been like this even before Ginny had gone over to work for Mike.

 

“Al came in last night,” her words getting lodged in her throat, “Mike’s a mess.”

 

Ginny felt the blood drain from her face, “I’m on my way.”

 

“He’s just left. Daughter doesn’t know.”

 

“Okay, I’m leaving now. You okay?” She asked as she got out of bed, throwing on a sweater while rummaging through her bedside table for her keys.

 

“Yeah I’m okay, Blips on his way.”

 

“Alright, I’ll call you back when I get to him.”

 

She hung up quickly, scrolling through her contacts to find Mike’s number. She locked her apartment door listening to it ring out, dialing again she began driving to the offices near the hospital. She’d been his PA long enough to know he was going to his private clinic rooms, it was the only place he called home.

 

Finally reaching the under ground parking, she swiped her access card. His car was here - good sign.

 

Pressing number eight as the elevator doors closed, she caught herself in the reflective surface - it hit her. She was about to go into a situation she knew she wasn’t ready for.

 

Dr Al Luongo had not only been a mentor to a young Mike Lawson. Al had trained him as an intern straight from med school, taking him under his wing and teaching him all the tricks of the trade. His mentor, confide and friend - Al had been more than a boss to Mike Lawson. Before Ginny became Mike’s PA she’d originally worked in theatres as an admin officer watching Al as he taught Mike with Evelyn close by, they’d often talk crap about their friday dinners in the medical officer lounge or the new love interest of Al’s daughter. Three years ago, Al had fallen ill with advanced heart disease, he took it as a sign that it was time to pass on both his title and patients to Dr Mike Lawson, Director of Cardiovascular Surgery and retire his ass on a beach in California surrounded by his daughter and grandchildren.

Before he’d left he set the balls in motion, convincing Ginny to take up as Mike’s PA telling her she had enough hard-assery in her to take him head on. He’d told her she’d be the perfect fit for him both keeping him young and alive. That being a cardio surgeon - Mike would need to remember there’s something outside of the hospital and his patients. Al’d convinced her like he did most people, he told her she was too valuable to be left as a desk clerk, she had more brains than mindlessly answering the phone. And so she did it, she took the job.

He’d been right, her hard-assery came in handy most of the time. You had to have tough skin to take on Dr Mike Lawson. Except for right now.

She walked down the long hallway, listening to the muted shouting coming from behind the office door. Slowly and calmly she pushed the door open, flinching as a cup full of pens hit the wall opposite. Her eyes connected to him, blue scrubs wrapped around his thick body, his scrub cap hid a head full of hair and an even thicker beard masking a stubborn jaw line. Finally her eyes connected with his, the whites of his eyes were red and swollen.

 

“Baker,” Mike bellowed, “Go home.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“I can’t do this with you right now, go home,” He yelled.

 

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

He scowled and she sneered right back. She moved through the patient waiting room to the kettle, switching it on. She turned and watching as he paced back and forwards ignoring her, hands balled into fists, jaw clenched and furious. Normally Dr Mike Lawson was put together. He had a knack for never letting anyone too close, whether it was from years of dealing out bad news or being in the OR - he was good at appearances. Right now, that air tight control was nowhere to be seen.

 

He slammed himself into the reception sofa, eyes flashing up dark and angry. She met his eyes, holding his gaze as she moved across the room to where he was sitting, stopping in front of him and placing her hand over his. Once her fingers came into contact with his skin, she watched the fight drain out.

 

His knuckles were pink and tender, legs apart he braced his hands on on the tops of his thighs, head rolled back against the top of the couch.

 

“You have to go.” He’s voice cracked as if he was trying to hold onto the anger.

 

“I’m not leaving you alone.”

 

His glassy eyes connected with hers holding her gaze before letting his breath out, “Al died.”

 

She crouched to his level, spreading his knees further apart, “I know.”

 

“I can’t do this without him.”

 

She shook her head, remembering Al’s words to her a few months earlier. The image of Dr Luongo lowering his baseball cap off, rolling it between his hands, sitting in the exact same spot Mike was sitting in. His soft echo, _“When I die Ginny, keep him above water. He doesn’t have anyone, he needs someone.”_

 

Ginny felt her own eyes water, “You can.”

 

“I - I can’t.” He growled.

 

“Mike,” She searched for the right words, drawing up a blank. She looked up at the light willing her own tears to stay at bay.

 

“Fuck,” he breathed out, “I can’t look at his family Gin.”

 

His eyes connected with her red rimmed ones, “He always did the hard ones.”

 

She scrambled for the right words, trying to think of anything wise she’d been told when her own father passed away. “You can do this, Mike.”

 

“He’s daughter is waiting,” Mike’s voice cracked, slumping back, “Jesus Gin. He fed me, taught me everything I know, he was there when no one else was. He’s - He - He was family.” he murmured to his fidgeting hands, tear moving down his cheek, “I can’t do this.”

 

And neither could Ginny. She moved her hand softly against his, heart breaking into a million pieces, for both his grief and her own. Al was a big loss for her. “I’m so sorry, Mike.” she began, knowing those words would never come close to enough. She had never known how to handle her own numbing grief, let alone his. Watching Mike go through this felt like being teared apart, learning her jagged and open.

 

She squeezed his hand, using her other to clear up a stray tear before looking at the painting above his shoulder. “God, he was a good man.” Her eyes blinking rapidly trying to keep her shit in check.

 

“Why did I agree to be his doctor? What the hell was he thinking?” Mike snapped, “I was never the doctor for him, he should have known that.” One of his hands came to his beard, scrubbing through it. “He should have known I couldn’t do this.”

 

Her eyes caught his, she leaned forward grabbing his two hands against his thighs trying to muster her hard-ass PA persona, “You’re the only person he’d ever trust with his life and eventually giving them this news, you know that. His family aren’t just people to you, Mike. He knew you’d be gentle, the right person for this. You were the right person from the moment you walked into his theatre twelve years ago.”

 

He gave her a long look, eyes searching and making it harder and harder for Ginny to meet his, “You can do this.” She tried. He didn’t blink, just kept staring at her, the stare was heavy with emotion, too much. She rubbed her clammy hands against her sweats and started to get up.

 

Suddenly, he reached across his legs, pulling her up and close. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face against her stomach. His grip tightened, holding her. She felt his body shake, tremors passing through his body into hers. He didn’t make a sound, he only tightened his grip on her body, locking her against him.

 

His face shifted against her, “I just need a second,” He said.

 

“I know.” And good god, she knew. She glided her hands across his shoulders, wrapping them around him properly as his fingers dug into the side of her hips. His beard tickling through her knitted sweater.  

 

“What am I going to say?” he asked muffled against her, voice heavy. “How can I tell them?”

 

She bowed her hand and hunched over him as if to shelter him with her own body, “You’re going to tell them exactly what happened.” He gripped her sweats harder, shifting his face up so just his chin rested on her stomach, his eyes were heavy and puffy before looking back down at her stomach.

 

They stayed like that until the tremors left his body.

 

“Who called you?” he asked a short time later.

 

“Ev,” she said to the top of his head.

 

“You and Ev talk?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

She wondered if this was his way of getting his crap together, putting the doctor cap back on. He slowly released his grip, pulling back and sinking into the sofa. She watched him, stumbling back a little at the loss of his body. He looked exhausted. There was a good chance he’d been in another surgery when the Emergency Department called down about Al.

 

“Is there new scrubs here?” he asked.

 

He looked back at her, embarrassment on his face as if reminding her this moment was too intimate for them. Although they’d been through alot in the past few years he’d never let his walls fall with her. Always keeping her at arm's length.

 

“Yeah, wardrobe,” She murmured pulling away properly from him and turning her body. She stumbled across the reception area, “Coffee?”

 

“Yeah,” he said appearing at her side at the kitchenette.

 

“Okay.”

 

She began pouring the water into the mug and then adding two dashes of cold water to the mug to make it drinkable - black, no sugar. He stood motionless next to her.

 

She slid the mug towards him, “Here, drink.”

 

He leaned back, gulping the entire contents.

 

“Good?” She prompted.

 

He gave her a lopsided grin, almost masking the turmoil his head was in, “Yeah. You know me best.”

 

She nodded slowly, returning his expression as if to tell him more before turning towards the computer at her desk in the reception area. She listened as he worked on the fresh set of scrubs returning quickly minus the theatre cap. “I’ll cancel your clinics for today,” she said soft but firm before he had the chance to tell her otherwise.

 

He only nodded once before heading for the door.

 

“Will you be here when I get back?”

 

“I’m not going anywhere, Mike.”

 

_______ 


	2. Chapter 2

When Mike returned to his office a few hours later, he found her asleep on his day bed. Laptop on her stomach still on and open to his appointment book, the cordless phone close by her head as if she’d been making calls. He carefully reached for the computer, closing it and moving the telephone away. She stirred slightly, lifting her arm above her head causing her jumper to ride up slightly over her abdomen. She looked peaceful and nothing like the woman that kicked his ass when he was late to clinics. 

 

He nudged her over gently trying not to wake her but her eyes opened sleepily anyway, “Hi.” she murmured. 

 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you, I just need to lay down,” He said leaning down to take off his shoes. 

 

She nodded once, turning onto her side to give him room. “You okay?” she asked moving the single pillow for him to share. 

 

“I think so.” 

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

 

He let out a gush of air, shaking his head side to side. 

 

“How long are we off for?” he asked, laying down beside her. 

 

“I rescheduled two weeks of clinics and Dr Salvi will cover you at the hospital.”  

 

“Okay.” 

 

He closed his eyes. “You can go, I’m not going to do anything stupid.” 

 

She watched him for a long moment at his side and she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t considered it but decided otherwise. “Mike, I’m not going anywhere.” 

 

It was silent for a few minutes as she watched him watch the ceiling. Before finally he huffed out a soft laugh, “You know, when Al came to me and said he wanted you to be my PA, I laughed. I thought he’d lost it, I mean didn’t he remember Boardners? He told me to trust him. ” 

 

She huffed out a sleepy laugh, “Aren’t you glad you interviewed me.” 

 

“Yeah Gin, I am.” 

 

Mike’s eyes closed, mind settling on the memory of Al convincing him Ginny was the right fit for the job, the one that’d run he’s life perfect. To say he was sceptical would be a gross understatement. 

 

He remembered her interview, they’d interviewed a number of people for the job and Al had told him ‘ _ You won’t find anyone like Baker, Mike.’ _ but he was hopeful. He knew there had to be someone out there that’d wow him, that would get him, naturally she walked into the interview guns blazing, confident she was the only one for the job. 

 

“Ginny, tell the panel what made you apply for this job and why you believe you’re best suited to the role.” Al had asked. 

 

He remembered Ginny’s cock-sure smile, eyes blazing, “I could go on about how experienced I am and how well I know the Cardio department but you already know that. What I think you want to know is what I’m willing to do,” she’d stopped and took a sip of her water, turning to Mike head on, “I can promise you our lives will get entangled, but I won’t fall in love with you. I can tell you I’ll run your life the way you want it, I’ll keep your secrets, I’ll be professional with you, and I’ll always be someone you can count on. I applied for the role because I know you need someone like me and because you need someone who doesn’t need to learn you. You need someone who will be on your side but tell you you’re being an asshole and who better than someone who's been watching you for the better of your career, knows how you work and knows how your head works?”

 

“You know how my head works?” Mike had asked.

 

“I do.” There was absolutely no room to fight her on it, she knew him. 

 

She was ballsey, too ballsey. Too young, she wasn’t afraid of getting into the nitty-gritty, she wasn’t afraid to speak up and he sure as hell wasn’t use to that. He didn’t like how she got under his skin and he sure as hell didn’t like the attraction he felt for her that seemed to have doubled the minute she started running his life. 

 

He was jogged out of the memory as he felt her shift her arm around his abdomen, snoring lightly into his neck. Ginny Baker was a cuddler, she’d always been a cuddler. It wasn’t often they’d end up here, but after a long night shift and long hours of her typing up letters he’d find her curled up on the daybed cuddling into the pillow. 

 

It wasn’t long before he fell asleep too. 

 

_____ 

 

When she woke, she noticed immediately they’d moved into a spooning position, she could feel his soft breath against her nape. His arms and body surrounding her. She knew it was wrong, crossing a line, a line they’d worked so hard to draw in the sand for so many years. But somewhere deep inside, she knew he needed it and she did too. 

 

“I need to get up, get home, shower.” Mike murmured into her neck but making no start to move. 

 

“Me too,” she replied, placing her hand over his on her stomach and lacing their fingers. 

 

“How am we going to do this without him, Gin?” he asked softly, voice breaking at the end. 

 

She took a deep breath in, a single tear dropping down her cheek, memories of moving past the grief of her father flooding in, “It’ll hurt for a long time.” 

 

He contemplating that for a moment tightening his hand around hers. “You okay?” he asked softly. 

 

She let out a pained laugh, “I should be asking you that.” 

 

He tightened her against his chest protectively and she let him, “I don’t think I would be able to do this without you.”

 

“It’s what I’m here for.” It felt wrong saying it, she knew it as soon as it passed her lips. 

 

He released her as if her words scorched him and moved to sit up on the bed. She followed him up, grabbing his hand, but he shook her off.

 

“Hey, I didn’t mean it that way.” 

 

“Gin, it’s okay.” 

 

She watched him silently while he moved to put on his coat and shoes grabbing his Padre’s themed theatre cap from the hook. “I’m going back down to the hospital. You should go.” 

 

“Mike, you should go home, get some rest.” 

 

“I’m not tired.” he said it as a statement, no room for changing his decision. 

 

He turned back to her, eyes red. She nodded back silently, the moment had passed. She let him go. 

 

_____ 

 

It'd been three days since Al passed away. She hadn’t heard from Mike in that time, he hadn’t replied to her texts, hadn’t called her back so she did what any good PA does, she’d checked with Evelyn but she hadn’t been called in either, he’d just gone radio silent.  

 

Just as she was about to lock her front door to her apartment and make her way to the office, her mobile started to ring. 

 

“Hi.” 

 

“Mike’s in theatres, what is he doing in theatres?” Evelyn’s panic loud and clear.  

 

“He shouldn’t be in theatres, Salvi’s covering. The funeral’s tomorrow, he shouldn’t be anywhere near the hospital.” 

 

“What is he doing there? I’m not there, he never does surg without me. I thought he was off for two weeks, Ginny.” Evelyn said, panic still minced in her words.

 

“I know Ev, slow down.” Her phone pinged,  “Hold on I’ve just got a text. Salvi’s there. I’m going to get Mike now.” 

 

Evelyn sighed in relief, “Okay, let me know if I need to go in.” 

 

Ginny had never driven so fast in her life aside from the night Al passed. 

 

Ginny parked in the supply dock area, moving through the kitchens and through to the internal lifts, straight up to level 4 theatres, stopping quickly at the airlock reception to let them know who she was and why she was there. She moved fast through the change rooms into scrub gear and down to Theatre 14 where Mike usually operates. She could hear Mike bellowing the instant she moved into the washroom. 

 

Salvi noticed her straight away, “Baker, get him out of here before I knock him out.” 

 

Mike turned around stunned and then pissed, he’s face said it all, rage and fury and completely directed at her. It’s not that she wasn’t use to his fury she just wasn’t use to it aimed at her. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the airlock door, “Come on, Mike. Let’s go.” 

 

“What the hell are you doing here?” he yelled, in front of an audience of theatre staff. 

 

Ginny’s cheeks both burned red but it only lasted a second before something stern washed over her, “Mike, you don’t want to do this here, let's go.” 

 

He stared at her hard for what felt like hours, challenging her, waiting for her to back down. She wouldn’t back down, she never had and she never would. She stayed put, she watched as his eyes mixed from enraged and fury, to pissed off, to pleading and right through to sad and defeated, eyes going glassy like a wounded animal. He’s hand scrubbed through he’s beard, eyes averting to somewhere over her shoulder, he moved past her but not before barging Salvi with his shoulder. 

 

Ginny mouthed an apology and then followed him through to the change rooms, down to the lifts, down to the car. He slammed the door getting into the passenger seat. 

 

“Did you really have to do that?” he barked, as she reversed out of the loading dock. 

 

“What do you think?” she barked right back. 

 

He fell silent, head laying back on the chair and arms folding like a perpenuet teenager. They drove in silence the thirty minute drive to his house. She parked in his driveway, turning off the ignition and turning to him. “Do you have whisky?” 

 

He’s brow thoroughed, “You don’t drink whisky.” 

 

“Today, I do.” 

 

“It’s 9am.” 

 

She raised her eyebrow, “Yes or no?” 

 

“Baker, I’m pissed.” 

 

“I know, but we need whisky for the boundary talk today.” 

 

They had the boundary talk every now again whenever Mike thinks she’s pushing too close, coming into he’s space a little too much. Usually on the back end of a situation where she’s cleaned up something he’s done. He’s been too blunt with an executive or a patient, the time she sent his estranged mother a mothers day gift without asking, or when she questioned a woman on her intentions with him. The time she pushed too far about his paternal side or when she was invited to Al’s dinner - the list goes on and on. 

 

“Come on,” he said getting out of the car. 

 

She followed him into the fish bowl he called a home, “You know, you should move, it’s like a museum here.” 

 

“I like it like this.” 

 

She took her shoes off, still dressed in the scrubs from the hospital. Mike had been in such a hurry she’d left most of her belongings and clothes at the hospital. She mentally cursed herself, wondering how she’d get her shit back. 

 

“Before we embark on the long, long discussion on how I’ve pushed the barrier, can you message Ev about my stuff.” 

 

He took his phone out of his back pocket, tossing it across the kitchen island and then turned to the cabinet, dropping two tumbler glasses down onto the marble benchtop. She messaged Evelyn quickly and then dropped the phone down. 

 

She took the tumbler and downed it in two gulps, grimacing at the after taste, “Ugh.” 

 

Mike huffed a laugh, “Told you.” 

 

“Pour me another.” 

 

He poured her another nip and picked up his own, she sat down onto the stool properly, elbows onto the bench and lent forward. “Alright, go ahead.” 

 

“You shouldn’t have come to the hospital, Baker. You’re my PA, not my wife.” 

 

“I know.” 

 

“You crossed a boundary. I’m the boss, if I want to go to work, I go to work.” 

 

“I know exactly who’s the boss but you also pay me to make sure you don’t screw up.” 

 

His faced morphed into insult, “I wouldn’t have screwed up.” 

 

“I know that, but you also lost someone, Mike. Three days ago. You would never forgive yourself if something went wrong.” 

 

“Nothing would have gone wrong.” 

 

“Maybe not, but do you really want to take that chance?” she asked softly. 

 

“Ginny, we’ve been through this how many times?” 

 

“Yeah Mike, we have.”

 

“So why do you keep crossing the fucking line?” 

 

“Do you remember your divorce?” she hated herself for bringing it up. 

 

He looked at her properly, this woman knew him better than he knew himself but how could she not understand how desperately he needed to keep his head busy. How much he needed to work. “What about it? I was fine.” 

 

“No you weren’t. You worked yourself to the bone. How many times did they kick you out of theatres? How many times did I have to come and get you after back to backs? So yeah, I’m going to cross this boundary because I know what you’re like when you’re hurting.” 

 

She was right, he went quiet, taking another sip and pouring again. The amount of times she’d had to drag his ass home was unprofessional at the very least. 

 

She must have read his mind because her next words brought all of the pain from days ago flooding back, “Mike, take a breath.” 

 

“I can’t.” 

 

She gave him a sad smile, “I know, but you need to.” 

 

“I don’t want to feel it, Ginny.” 

 

He was looking at her square in the eye, but something was clouding he’s vision. “You keep picturing it, I know because I’ve been where you are Mike.” 

 

He’s eyes started to water as he averted his gaze to the ceiling and then back down again, grabbing the tumbler and drowning it. He leaned back against the refrigerator, hands scuffing through his beard. 

 

“Fuck, the funerals tomorrow.” he said in a rush, rubbing at his eyes as his body drifted down, sinking to his bottom. 

 

Ginny got up from the stool, moved around the bench bringing the tumblers and whisky with her, placing them on the tiles between them and took place beside him. She moved her arm around his bulky shoulders. He took the opening and leaned into her, she felt the shudders take over his body. It took everything in Ginny not to break down with him, crumble right along side of him. 

 

He cried silently into her and Ginny did everything to fight the tears welling, her blinking increasing by the second. She’d never seen him like this and she wasn’t really sure if she was helping or if she was facilitating but she knew she’d never move from this space without him asking her to. She pulled him in tighter, rubbing gently at his arm. 

 

He clutched her tighter. And she couldn’t hold it together, she cried along with him, silent tears falling down her cheeks because truthfully this was the first time she really felt it, the weight of Al’s words. Hold him above water. How was she supposed to hold him above water when she couldn’t even hold her own grief above water? 

 

When he finally looked up and at her, he was so close she could smell the minty smell of his breathe, eyes moving to his lips and back up again. He leaned forward rubbing his nose against hers. They stayed like that a beat longer than they should have, rubbing noses, before he pulled back. 

 

“We can’t do that.” He said, fingers and thumb catching her chin tipping her head up to look at him and then he let her chin go, fingers drifting along her jaw before moving away entirely. 

 

He averted his eyes to right in front of him grabbing the tumbler glass absentmindedly and taking a gulp. But her eyes were still fixed on him trying to assess her next move. It didn’t take long before she was getting up fussing with her borrowed clothes and glass, she couldn’t do this with him, she needed to keep him above water. “I should go, I’ve gotta…” 

 

she didn’t finish her sentence before he followed her up. “Yeah, you should.” But it sounded like he didn’t want her to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I'm really at a writers block for this one. I'm not sure what direction I should go in LOL. 
> 
> This sat in my WIP for almost a year and I just thought, to hell with it - lets just post it!

**Author's Note:**

> SMUT will come eventually - I'm just a total hoe for that heavy emotional attachment initially


End file.
